Weekly Texas Border Roundup: CBP Arrest At Least Five Convicted Child Sex Offenders, Seize $16M In Drugs

December 7, 2020

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David LeDoux

<strong>EDITORIAL NOTE</strong>

We understand that a certain segment of the population finds the phrase “illegal alien” offensive. The U.S. Court System uses this term because it is the term used by the Supreme Court in its latest pronouncement pertaining to this area of the law. See Arizona v. U.S., 132 S. Ct. 2492 (2012). EXAMPLE: Federal immigration laws, such as 8 U.S.C. §1365, which deals with a reimbursement program the federal government has for states that are incarcerating illegal aliens, uses the term “illegal aliens” in its title and within the statute itself. An illegal alien is defined as anyone “who is in the United States unlawfully.“

TEXAS – Below, you will find the latest information available for reported drug smuggling, human smuggling and trafficking, and illegal crossings over the Texas border and ports over the past week.

Most news outlets report snippets of the issues that happen on our southern border and only when it fits within their political ideology, all the while downplaying, exaggerating, misleading, and inconsistent information about our southern border activity.

Our border issues are complex, and they affect all Texans and Americans.

Texas is our home. To most Texans, the border isn’t a political issue or a tool to use against another political party; this is a safety and security issue for our children, families, friends, and local and national law enforcement.

To better comprehend the complex issues of drug smuggling, human and sex trafficking of children and adults, unaccompanied children, and illegal immigrant crossings, including child molesters, convicted criminals, murderers, gang members, where they come from, we need real numbers, facts, and statistics.

The information we provide ONLY encompasses the Texas and Mexico border.

This information has been gathered and compiled directly from U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) information, which is under the purview of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.

As for the accuracy of the information below, we can only decipher and report the information released. Therefore, the number of incidents, arrests, types of narcotics, weight, or the street value of said narcotics is considered the minimum amount.

As you read, we hope the information provided will help all Texans and Americans better understand the complexity of our current immigration laws and policies created by our D.C. lawmakers.

All people apprehended by the Border Patrol undergo criminal history checks using biometrics to ensure their criminal histories are positively identified.

The public is encouraged to take a stand against crime in their communities and help save lives by reporting suspicious activity at 1-800-863-9382 or contacting their website at http://www.cbp.gov.

JUST THE FACTS

TEXAS BORDER APPREHENSIONS & SEIZURES

APPREHENSIONS & SEIZURES (Excluding narcotics. For narcotics, see table below)*	TOTAL
TOTAL ARRESTS/APPREHENSIONS	191 – ADULTS 7 – U.S. CITIZENS
SEX OFFENDERS (Previously Convicted or outstanding warrant)	5 – SEX CRIMES AGAINST CHILD(REN)
SEIZURE(S)	1 – SHIPMENT OF EVAPORATOR MACHINES 1 – STAKE BED TRUCK 1 – BOX TRUCK 2 – TRACTOR TRAILER(S) 19 – PASSENGER VEHICLES 1 – SHIPMENT OF MARBLE 1 – COMMERCIAL SHIPMENT OF TOMATOES 1 – COMMERCIAL SHIPMENT OF PEPPERS (TOMATOES & PEPPERS FROM MEXICO HAVE BEEN PROHIBITED AS OF NOVEMBER 2019* TO PREVENT THE INTRODUCTION OF TOMATO BROWN RUGOSE FRUIT VIRUS THAT COULD CAUSE SEVERE DAMAGE TO U.S. CROPS.)*
COUNTRIES OF APPREHENSIONS (Home countries of those apprehended/arrested) (USC: United States Citizen)	EL SALVADOR, GUATEMALA, HONDURAS, MEXICO, & UNITED STATES

*PLEASE NOTE: It is not a crime to carry more than $10,000 over the border. However, it is a federal offense not to declare currency or monetary instruments totaling $10,000 or more to a CBP officer upon entry or exit from the U.S. or to conceal it with intent to evade reporting requirements. Failure to declare may result in seizure of the currency and/or arrest. An individual may petition for the return of the money seized by CBP officers, but the petitioner must prove that the source and intended use of the currency were legitimate.

APPREHENSIONS WITH PREVIOUS U.S. CONVICTIONS

HOME COUNTRY & NAME

CONVICTION(S) OR ALLEGED
CRIME(S) COMMITTED

LOCATION OF CRIME

SENTENCE OR OUTSTANDING WARRANT

MEXICAN NATIONAL
OSCAR MELGOZA-BARAJAS,
36-YEARS OF AGE

CONVICTION OF…
AGGRAVATED SEXUAL ASSAULT OF A CHILD UNDER 13 IN AUGUST 2004.

CHICAGO, ILLINOIS

SENTENCED TO…
SIX YEARS AND SIX MONTHS IMPRISONMENT (PHOTO BELOW)

MEXICAN NATIONAL
ARTEMIO TELLES-GARCIA,
32-YEARS OF AGE

CONVICTION OF…
CHILD MOLESTATION IN 2016

RINCON, GEORGIA

SENTENCED TO…
15 YEARS PROBATION

*As reported by the U.S. Customs & Border Protection

WEEKLY NARCOTIC SEIZURES

NOTE:

TYPE OF NARCOTIC	WEIGHT	STREET VALUE
COCAINE	818.19 lbs.	$6,312,001
FENTANYL	6.27 lbs.	$175,500
HEROIN	36 lbs.	$816,264
MARIJUANA	201.1 lbs.	$158,869
METHAMPHETAMINE	422.16 lbs.	$8,441,339
TOTAL	1,483.69 lbs.	$15,903,971

*As reported by the U.S. Customs & Border Protection, The totals below are an estimate of what was reported by Customs and Border Protection in pounds and street prices. Street prices are determined by the purity and quality of the specific drug seized.

WHERE WE GET OUR INFORMATION

CBP Officers at Hidalgo International Bridge Arrest Two Women with Hard Narcotics
Friday, December 4, 2020 | HIDALGO, Texas – U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Office of Field Operations at the Hidalgo International Bridge arrested two female 25-year-old U.S…

Laredo Sector Continues to Combat a Troubling Trend of Significant Arrests
Thursday, December 3, 2020 | LAREDO, Texas – In a troubling trend, the United States Border Patrol agents from the Laredo Sector continue to make a large number…

Brownsville CBP Officers Seize $256K Worth of Cocaine in Two Seizures
Thursday, December 3, 2020 | BROWNSVILLE, Texas – U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers at the Brownsville Port of Entry intercepted alleged narcotics in two separate…

CBP Field Operations Arrest Colorado Woman With Over $3 Million in Methamphetamine at Anzalduas International Bridge
Wednesday, December 2, 2020 | ANZALDUAS, Texas – U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Office of Field Operations at the Anzalduas International Bridge arrested a 34-year-old woman, a…

Brownsville CBP Officers Seize $488K Worth of Cocaine in Two Seizures
Tuesday, December 1, 2020 | BROWNSVILLE, Texas – U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers at the Brownsville Port of Entry intercepted alleged narcotics in two separate…

CBP Reminds Travelers That Importation of Peppers and Tomatoes Remain Prohibited
Tuesday, December 1, 2020 | EL PASO, Texas – U.S. Customs and Border Protection Officers and CBP Agriculture Specialists working at El Paso area ports of entry made nine agriculture…

Multiple Agencies Collaborate to Stop a Human Smuggling Scheme
Tuesday, December 1, 2020 | LAREDO, TEXAS – Multiple law enforcement agencies, including two stations from the U.S. Border Patrol, combined efforts and…

Laredo Port of Entry CBP Officers Seize Hard Narcotics Worth $6.5 Million at World Trade Bridge
Monday, November 30, 2020 | LAREDO, Texas – U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Office of Field Operations at the Laredo Port of Entry seized hard narcotics valued at $6.5…

CBP Field Operations Seizes Narcotics Worth Over $3 Million at the Progreso Port of Entry
Monday, November 30, 2020 | PROGRESO, Texas – U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Office of Field Operations officers at the Progreso Port of Entry intercepted a noteworthy amount…

Border Patrol Agent Assaulted While Apprehending Group
Monday, November 30, 2020 | VAN HORN, Texas – While apprehending a group of five subjects early in the morning…

Oscar Melgoza-Barajas, a Mexican National – In August 2004, Melgoza-Barajas, was **convicted** **of aggravated sexual assault of a child under 13** in Chicago, Illinois.

Child Molester Arrested in South Laredo
Monday, November 30, 2020 | LAREDO, Texas – US Border Patrol agents assigned to the Laredo South Station apprehended a convicted child molester south of Laredo…

Brownsville CBP Officers Seize $431K in Narcotics in Two Seizures
Monday, November 30, 2020 | BROWNSVILLE, Texas – U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers at the Brownsville Port of Entry intercepted alleged narcotics in two separate…